THE SEAMOUNTS OF THE GORRINGE BANK INDEX 1. INTRODUCTION 3 1.1. Seamounts in Europe 4 1.2. Legal framework 5 2. THE GORRINGE BANK 7 2.1. Species 8 2.2. Habitats and communities 10 Deep infralittoral/upper circa-littoral zone 10 Deep circalittoral zone 11 Upper Bathial zone 12 Deep bathial zone 13 3. ANTROPHIC THREATS IN GORRINGE BANK 15 3.1 Fisheries activity 15 3.2 Marine litter 15 4. CONCLUSION 16 4. ANNEX 17 I. Table of species identified in Gorringe Bank 17 II. Table of habitats identified in Gorringe Bank 23 III. Press releases 33 5. BIBLIOGRAPHY 36 2 1. INTRODUCTION Seamounts are considered underwater features –usually of volcanic origin or aassociated to tectonic activity– rising from the seafloor and peaaking below the sea level. From a geological perspective, these underwater elevations have been originally described as greater than 1,000 m in relief (Menard, 1964; International Hydrographic Organization, 2008). However, since no obvious ecological rationale seems to sustain the size-based criteria (Pitcher et al., 2007; Wessel, 2007), later definitions contemplate any underwater elevation rising more than 100 m (Staudigel et al., 2010; Morato et al., 2013). Although scientific knowledge on seamounts is very sparse, the importance of the ecosystems associated to these elevations has been recently recognized by scientist, management authorities, the fisheries industry and conservationist (Stocks et al., 2012). The reason of its unusual high species richness and biomass relies on two main factors: 1. Seamounts are generally formed by hard substrata –which is absent in the surrounding flat abyssal plains– that provides the suitable ruggedness and habitat complexity for tthe colonization and growth of diverse fauna (Santos & Morato, 2009). 2. Seamounts induce changes in the circulation of water masses, producing tides, eddies (so-called Taylor Columns) and upwellings (White et al. 2007). These variations concenttrate zooplankton and fish, and they increase the vertical exchannge in the water column, enhancingg primary production, food supply and zooplankton growth rates (Santos & Morato, 2009; IUCN, 2013). The combination of these characteristics enriches benthic and pelagic communities around seamounts, constituting them as hotspots of biological diversity and production (Morato et al., 2010)). The enhanced local currents originate a highly productive system, supplying organic matter to benthic suspension feeders. These organisms, typically deep-waater corals, spponges, hydroids and asciddians, are able to create intricate struuctures that contribute to the habitat complexity, and thus sustain a wide variety of species living in close association (Gubbay, 2003; Rogers, 2004; Probert et al., 2007). These associated species are represented by deep-sea and pelagic ones, and often hold a high commercial value such as orange roughy, alfonsino, tuna and sharks. Seamounts also concentrate other animals such as highly migratory species like cetaceans, seabirds and pinnipeds, which are also regular hosts in this environnment (IUCN, 2013). According to the geographic distances between seamounts and their special hyddrrographic conditions, different hypothesis have raised. The “Seamount Endemicity Hypothesis” (SMEH) states ideas of faunal isolation and the presence of higghly endemic taxa (McCain, 2007). Oppositely, when seamounts lie close to the continental shelf or occur in chains, studies suggest tthat seamounts act as stepping stones for fauna, enabling exchange and connectivity fluxes of populattion in the deep abyss (Hubbs, 1959; Shank, 2010; Clark et al., 2012). On the other hand, seamountts commonly present different Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VME) as coral gardens, deep-sea sponnge aggregations and hydrothhermal vents. These ecosystems aree known to be of immense importance and value for deep- sea and the biodiversity they contain, and are currently threaten by anthropic practices (Auster, 2011). 3 1.1. Seamounts in Europe Recent studies estimate the total number of large seamounts (<1,000 m height) worldwide from 25,000 to 140,000 and small ones (>100 m height) from 125,000 to 25 million approximately (Morato et al., 2013). European basins present some of these features, mainly in the Atlantic but also in the Mediterranean waters. In the case of NE Atlantic, although OSPAR’s database contemplates a total of 104 seamounts –spread out in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (ABNJ) and EEZ from Norway, Sweden, Faroe Islands, UK, Ireland, France, Spain and Portugal– a total of 557 large seamount-like features have been inferred through bathymetric grids (Morato et al., 2013). Most of them lie along the Mid Atlantic Ridge (MAR), between the Charlie-Gibbs Fracture Zone, south from Iceland and the Hayes Fracture Zone (Azores latitude). There are also seamount clusters situated on the Madeira-Tore Rise, along the south west of the Rockall Bank and west of Portugal (Gubbay, 2003). In Mediterranean waters, underwater elevations were estimated to be 59 (Kitchingman et al., 2007), concentrated mainly in the Alboran and Tyrrhenian seas (OCEANA, 2011). However, recent studies have raised the number up to 101 (Morato et al., 2013). Laminaria ochroleuca © OCEANA / Carlos Suárez Scorphaena scrofa © OCEANA Kelp forest – Gorringe Bank © OCEANA 4 1.2. Legal framework The depletion of marine resources in coastal waters and continental shelves, coupled with the increase of technology and fish demand has led the industry to seek for new fishing grounds further out and deeper into the oceans (IUCN, 2013). These new places are often situated close to seamounts, taking advantage of the aforementioned values that occur in these formations. Due to the deleterious effects on seamount’s VMEs caused by destructive fishing gears (Clark et al., 2010) and the unfavorable ecological characteristics of deep-sea species for exploitation (e.g. long turn-over and low reproductive rates), concerns have been raised amongst the international community and several European Authorities have –or are intended to– declared measures aiming to alleviate the damage. UNGA Resolution 61/105 calls upon States to “(…) to sustainably manage fish stocks and protect vulnerable marine ecosystems, including seamounts, hydrothermal vents and cold water corals, from destructive fishing practices recognizing the immense importance and value of deep sea ecosystems and the biodiversity they contain;”. UNGA Resolution 64/72 calls upon States to “(…) implement the 2008 International Guidelines for the Management of Deep-sea Fisheries in the High Seas of the FAO (“the Guidelines”) in order to sustainably manage fish stocks and protect vulnerable marine ecosystems, including seamounts, hydrothermal vents and cold water corals, from destructive fishing practices (…)”. FAO International Guidelines for the Management of Deep-Sea Fisheries in the High Seas includes “summits and flanks of seamounts, guyots, banks, knolls, and hills” as examples of topographical, hydrophysical or geological features, including fragile geological structures, that potentially support VMEs species groups or communities. These guidelines aim to serve as a reference to help States and RFMO/As in implementing appropriate measures for the management of deep-sea fisheries in the high seas. OSPAR has enlisted “seamounts” as “Threatened and/or declining habitat”. Moreover, a Recommendation on seamounts’ management is pending to be approved early in 2014. Barcelona Convention’s “Dark Habitats Action Plan” considers especial habitats and species associated to seamounts. This tool has been endorsed at the end of 2013 during the COP Meeting. NEAFC has adopted temporal fishing closures to vessels with bottom-contacting gears in large NE Atlantic regions (Mid-Atlantic Ridge, Reykjanes Ridge, etc.) including several seamounts (e.g. Altair and Antialtari seamounts), in order to protect VMEs in line with ICES Recommendation. GFCM has included actions such as “Develop mid-term research programmes to identify conservation measures and to promote sustainable use of deep-sea habitats (seamounts, canyons and deep coral populations) and related fishing stocks” and “Collect environmental and biological information on marine seamounts” on its Programme of Work for the Intercessional Period 2013-2014. Most of the aforementioned management measures involve different underwater elevations including seamounts and banks. In the NE Atlantic, that is the case of Charlie-Gibbs Fracture Zone Marine Protected Area (MPA) that presents seamounts as Minia, Hecate and Farday; and Mid Atlantic Ridge North of the Azores MPA, which includes Gnitsevich seamount. Other seamounts protected under OSPAR MPA Network are: Anton Dohrn, Altair, Antialtair, Milne, L’Esperance, Seldo, Dom João de Castro, Crumb, El Cachucho, and Josephine. Some of them coincide with protected areas designated by other Authorities, as for example Altair and Antialtair seamounts, closed to bottom-fisheries by 5 NEAFC, and El Cachucho, designated under Natura 2000 Network. Further Natura 2000 nominations are to be designated in underwater features like Galicia and Concepción Banks in 2014. In the Mediterranean Sea, only the biggest seamount (Eratosthenes) is currently protected under a “Fisheries Restricted Area” from GFCM (REC.GFCM/2006/3). Further protections are planned to be implemented in 2014 as it is the case of Chella Bank in Spanish national waters under Natura 2000, and the seamounts of Mallorca Channel (Ausias March and Emile Baudot), whose summits (above 200